Combination sheet fastener and backing sheet



Spt. 2.7, 1938. w. w. KAfRLEN COMBINATION SHEET FASIENER BAGKING SHEET Filed Oct. '7. 1935 K 4mvrsm'on. 5^ Zfzfzz A ORNEY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1938- UNITED STATESl COMBINATION SHEET FASTENER AND BACKING SHEET 8 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a means for detachably holding sheets such as sheets of paper that occupies a minimum of flat space when in use, thereby making for compactness, neatness, and the conserving of valuable file cabinet space.

Since the paper backing or folders usually employed in filing correspondence and similar papers is soft and flexible and will not retain offsetting, this invention provides a backing or folder construction in which the paper fastener is constructed to retain an offset in the paper backing and at the same time mount the paper fastener on the paper backing or folder without increasing the thickness or build-up of the folder beyond the combined thickness of the metal of the fastener and the paper.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a paper fastener that may be easily, quickly, and rigidly secured to its backing sheet, and when once so attached has a smooth at appearance and construction free from undesirable projections or sharpcorners that might accidentally catch or snare other items coming in contact with it. Y

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination backing sheet and sheet fastener that has certain depressions and/-or ridges in the backing sheet for engagement with complementary elements or portions of the sheet fastener.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combination sheet fastener and backing sheet that is exceptionally strong in construction with certain portions of the sheet fastener selfcentering with certain portions` of the backingv vide a sheet fastener in combination with an,

especially prepared file folder, file wrapper, back ing sheet, or like that is attractive in appearance, economical in manufacture, and durable in use.

Ihese and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the Various parts` of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in th accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of one of my complete combination sheet fasteners and backing sheet ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of my combinasheet.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of o-ne of my sheet fasteners before attachment to a backing sheet or like.

Fig. 6 is a side View of one of my sheet fasteners before attachment to a backing sheet or like.

Fig. 7 is a top plan View of one end portion of my device with its bendable arm bent outwardly and with the compressing bar plate turned over from its position as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 isa longitudinal sectional View of the device taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7. 2U

Fig; 9 is across-sectional view of my device taken on line 9 9 of Fig. '7.

Sheet fasteners orl clasps used individually or in combination with backing sheets or folders are indeed well known as they are almost universally used in every voilce, kboth small or large, where it is desired to p-reserve and secure one or more sheets together. These clasps or fasteners, however, due to their bulky construction, add much to` the room required in the ling cabinets and when 30 several groups of held sheets are piled up ver-A tically on a desk or like the stack is, highly un-l balanced and the attached sheets do not lie in proper flat condition. Another undesirable feature of such fasteners is their protrusions, espe- 30 cially those on the outside of the folder, which are always catching on other objects vand which prevent the ready withdrawal or replacement of the lefolders from or into the lingcabinet. A still further objection to such fasteners is their tendency to tear loose from the folder or backing member to which they are attached. I have overcome such objections as will be appreciated by those familiar with sheet fasteners.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral lil to designate the usual folder, file, backing sheet, `or like, of flexible material such as cardboard, stiff paper, etc. As is well known, paper fasteners are secured to such backing sheets and the sheets to be held are secured by the fas- Y tener to the front or face of the backing sheet.

My method differsfrom the general custom of f construction and arrangement of parts, however, in that I especially prepareor construct the backing sheet for the reception of the fastener. This CTI consists in embossing the backing sheet and piercing it. This embossed depression or recess is in the back of the backing sheet, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and I have designated it by the numeral II. In this embossed depression II may be a longitudinal slot I2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Near each end of the depression II is a slit opening I3. It is to such a prepared backincr sheet that I attach my sheet fastener and which I will now describe.

I have used the numeral I4 to designate the elongated comparatively flat base body portion of my fastener. This portion I4 has its corners rounded in order to eliminate any catching projections and has dimensions similar but slightly smaller than that of the dimensions of the embossed depression I I. The reason for this is that this body portion is designed torest within the depression II of the backing sheet when on the` backing sheet. By such a construction the outside face of the body I4 will be substantially flush with the back outside face of the backing sheet. This provides a smooth, uniform surface over the back of the backing sheet. Y

The numerals I5 and I6 designate the usual bendable arms extending from the two ends of the base I4, respectively. As is well known such arms extend through the backing sheet from its back side to detachably engage the sheets to be held. In the drawing, these arms extend through the backing sheet by passing through the two slits I3. The numeral I 'I designates a longitudinal ridge extending down the center line of the base I4,

When the sheet fastener is on the backing sheet this ridge I'I extends upwardly and into the slot I2 of the backing sheet. This ridge obviously strengthens the base bar I4 and aids I n centering the sheet fastener properly on the backing sheet at time of installation.

Any suitable means may be used to rigidly secure my sheet fastener portion to my backing sheet, although it is understood that in some instances it may not be desirable to so permanently secure it. In Fig. 2, I sho-w the base bar I4 secured by the conventional burr rivets I8. These burr rivets are each formed in the bar I4 by cutting a cross, bending the resulting four prongs upwardly, having them pierce the backing sheet, and then riveting them. When riveted they add no additional thickness, but do rigidly secure the sheet fastener to the backing sheet. In Figs. 3, 5, and 6, I show the bar I4 secured by tongues or prongs I8 formed on the side margina] edges of the bar I4 and designed to pierce and clamp onto the backing sheet. When placing the bar I4 these prong projecting tongues may be bent upwardly to pass through the backing sheet and then bent outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. When these members I 8 are bent outwardly they not only provide a very flat construction, but tend to maintain the embossing.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a very thin combined sheet fastener and backing sheet, as the ridge II merely comes to the upper embossed surface of the backing sheet as shown in Fig. 3. The sheets to be held are threaded onto the arms I5 and I6 in the usual manner. They may be bent inwardly as shown in Fig. l, or bent outwardly as shown in Fig.- 7

I have provided a novel compression bar plate I9 that may be used with the device when desired and which lends itself to the bending of the arms I5 and I6 either outwardly or inwardly. This bar plate has the usual two slits to receive the two arms I5 and I6. Extending between these two slits 20 is a longitudinal trough 2|. Extending from each of the slits 20 to the extreme end of the bar plate is a trough 22. The trough 2I is conversely arranged relative to the troughs 22 and when the arms I5 and I6 are bent inwardly as shown in Fig. 1, the trough 2l is exposed to receive them.

However, when the arms I5 and I6 are bent outwardly as shown in Fig. '7, the plate I9 is turned over. in order that the troughs 22 will be exposed to receive the arms I5 and I6, respectively.

When the fastener base is constructed' and mounted in the folder or backing sheet as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the attachment of the fastener base to the backing sheet along opposite sides at spaced intervals throughout the length of the base of the fastener, provides such a connection between the fastener base and the folder; that in the use of the usual bendable sheet metal employed for making fasteners, the bending of the fastener base in the use of the backing sheet with correspondence papers filed on the front face thereof, will not cause the central portion of the base oneither side to become separated from the backing sheet so as to project rearwardly from the sheet and provide an objectionable projection at the back of the folder or backing sheet that will cause one set of bound papers when being placed in or removed from a le drawer'to catch on an adjacent and similarly constructed set of bound papers. 'I'he manner of securing the fastener base to the backing sheet therefore retains intimate contact between the backing sheet and the fastener base throughout its length and around its entire margin and with particular reference to the construction shown in Fig. 5, the extension of the prongs through the backing sheet from the back to the front and then outwardly over the front face of the backing sheet provides a particularly desirable construction because where there is any tendency for any part of another folder or fastener to catch on the fastener base, the securing projections will help to guide such other fastener over the rear smooth face of the fastener and folder. In this way the likelihood of one folder catching on another is substantially obviated. The outwardly extending projections of the structure, as shown in Fig. 5, effectively retain the embossment in the paper backing without increasing the thickness of the paper forming the backing sheet and one thickness of the sheet metal forming the fastener in securing the fastener to the backing sheet or folder.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved combination sheet fastener and backing sheet without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim: I

1. In combination with a backing sheet element having an embossed depression and an elongated slot opening extending through it and communieating with said embossed depression, a sheet fastener comprising a base portion, a ridge portion on said base portion extending into and engaging said slot opening in said backing sheet element, and a sheet engaging means on said base portion.

2. In combination with a single backing sheet element having an embossed depression in one of itsv sides and an opening extending through it and communicating with said embossed depression, a sheet fastener comprising a base element resting in said embossed depression, a projection on said base element extending into said opening in said backing sheet element, and bendable arms on said base element extending through said backing sheet element.

3. In combination with a single backing sheet having a depressed area portion and an elongated slot opening extending through it and communicating with said depressed area portion, a sheet fastener comprising, a base portion, a ridge on said base portion extending into and engaging said slot opening in said backing sheet, bendable members on said base portion extending through said backing sheet for holding said base portion in said depressed area portion, and bendable sheet engaging arms on said base portion.

4. A paper filing device, comprising a backing member formed of a single sheet of material, a section of said member being offset to one side thereof and forming a recess in the opposite side, a bendable prong fastener formed of sheet metal having a base portion seated in said recess against said section, retaining projections on said base portion extending outwardly therefrom through said sheet at the juncture of said section with the remainder of said sheet with the ends overlying the opposite face of the sheet beyond said section for retaining said base portion in said recess, and bendable prongs on said base portion extending through said sheet of material for impaling papers on the opposite side of the backing member, whereby the composite thickness of said device at any point does not exceed that of the paper sheet plus the thickness of the metal forming said fastener base, and said offset section cooperates in facilitating the mounting of said fastener base on said sheet and provides a smooth back surface on said backing member to prevent catching of papers and fasteners when one device is slid over another.

5. A paper filing device, comprising a backing member formed of flexible sheet material, a section of said member being offset to one side thereof and forming a recess in the oppositeV side, a bendable prong fastener having a base engaged in said recess with bendable paper impaling prongs extending through said backing member for impaling papers on the side opposite said base, and attaching means extending ness of said device at any point more than the thickness of said sheet material plus the thickness of the material forming said base.

6. A paper :tiling device, comprising a backing member formed of flexible sheet material,a section of said member being offset to one side thereof and Vforming a recess in the opposite side, a bendable prong fastener having a base engaged in said recess with bendable paper impaling prongs extending` through said backing member for impaling papers on the side opposite said base and projections at spaced intervals around the edge of said base extending outwardly therefrom through and outwardly over the opposite face of said backing member for securing substantially all portions of said base against separation from said backing member and retaining said embossed portion in said backing member without increase in the composite thickness of said device at any point greater than one thickness of said backing sheet plus one thickness Vof the material forming said fastener.

7. A paper filing device, comprising a backing member formed of sheet material, a section of said material being offset to one side thereof and forming a recess in the opposite side, a bendable prong fastener having a base engaged in said recess with the margins of said base and the portions of said backing member connecting said offset section to the-remainder thereof in contiguous relation, a pair of bendable paper impaling prongs on said base arranged one at each end projecting through said backing member for binding papers on the opposite side of said base, and a plurality of projections spaced along each side edge of said base extending outwardly from' said base through the portions of said backing member connecting said offset section to the remainder thereof and outwardly, over the opposite face of said backing member beyond said offset section, for retaining said offset section in offset relation and intimate contact between said base and offset section throughout all portions thereof. Y

8. A paper filing device, comprising a backing member formed of flexible sheet material, and a bendable prong fastener formed of bendable sheet metal having a base portion with one face engaging one surface Vof said backing member, .bendable paper impaling means on said base portion, said backing member having a slot formed therein, an offset portion on said base portion engaging in said slot, and a plurality'of projections on the side edges of said base portion extending through said backing memberand outwardly from said base portion over the opposite face of `said backing member to retain all portions of said base in intimate relation with said backing member and prevent one device from catching on an adjacent one', without increasing the composite thickness ofsaid device to an extent greater than the thickness of said sheet metal plus the thickness of said sheet material.

WILLIS W. KARLEN. 

